Bouteflika’s Death Presents Algeria with Moment of Reflection Amid Unrest

Rabat – Algeria’s Presidential office has announced the death of former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika who passed away at the age of 84.

Bouteflika’s life was marked by a tumultuous youth in which he worked with revolutionaries such as Che Guevara and heroes of the anti-colonial struggle, including training Nelson Mandela. Yet his legacy will remain tainted by his two-decade long rule in Algiers in which his early ideals were set aside as the country slid into a shadowy dictatorship.

From hero to zero

Like many of Algeria’s leadership, Bouteflika built his name in the post-colonial struggle and the bloody independence war against the French. Yet little love remains for the country’s former “freedom fighters” who eroded their ideals and favored the allure of power over the priorities of the Algerian people.

The memories of Bouteflika’s early life as an anti-colonialist and as part of the non-aligned movement cemented his role at the top of the country’s leadership after the country’s civil war in the 1990s. His rule would unfortunately be marked by an ever-strengthening of the country’s military and business elite, while eroding the essential freedoms of common Algerians.

His youthful endeavors were long forgotten when, after 20 years in power, the massive national protests of the Algerian Hirak demanded his departure and an overhaul of Algeria’s politics.

Bouteflika’s 20-year rule frustrated Algerians to the extent that they did not just want his departure, they demanded a complete restructuring of political power, demands that have remained unanswered to this day.

A moment of reflection

The news of Bouteflika’s passing comes at a highly unfortunate time for the country’s elite, which managed to end Bouteflika’s rule while keeping their position in power. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has frequently cited the overthrow of Bouteflika as a moment of change in Algeria, yet few are convinced.

Bouteflika’s “heir” has instead further entrenched the power of the presidency over the other branches of government, amid a continuing power struggle between the country’s military and political elite.

The lack of substantive change following the 2019 Hirak protests, which saw the political demise of Bouteflika, continues to frustrate large parts of the population. “The power,” as Algerians call their mostly undefined and unelected elite, continues to prioritize its own power and military spending over the living conditions and political demands of the people.

With no real political change, and declining living standards and political freedoms in Algeria, the death of Bouteflika will likely mark a moment of reflection regarding the post-2019 era.

Algeria’s elite has managed to leverage COVID-19 measures to halt the national protest movement and has ratcheted up tensions with Morocco to divert Algerian attention away from its domestic issues. Whether that strategy was successful in silencing Algerian opposition will likely come to the fore as Bouteflika’s death is likely to renew domestic calls for structural change.